A demonstration study of a “hydrogen bicycle” began at Kansai International Airport in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture on October 13.

The motorized bicycle equipped with a simple hydrogen fuel cell announced by Iwatani Corporation (based in Minato Ward, Tokyo and Chuo Ward, Osaka) on October 8 is being used and tested for getting around the airport.The company developed the hydrogen fuel cell motorized bicycle starting in 2006 as part of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s (METI) Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell (JHFC) Demonstration Project.

The hydrogen bicycle being used in the study is equipped with a simple hydrogen 60-watt fuel cell. To supply the hydrogen gas used for energy, the bicycle is also equipped with a demountable hydrogen cartridge independently developed by Iwatani. When battery power runs low, hydrogen is automatically supplied from the hydrogen cartridge to the fuel cell, generating electricity and recharging the battery, thus negating the need for a battery charger. Since it is possible to recharge while running the motor, the bicycle is reportedly able to continuously travel a distance of about 45 kilometers, 1.5 times farther than on the battery alone.

The demonstration study is being conducted in the area around the Hydrogen Station set up in the airport by the JHFC in 2007, and personnel have been using the bicycle to get around.

This is the first such experiment in an airport that is working towards the goal of practical implementation of a hydrogen bicycle.